World health care leaders to present global medical practices in Riyadh

The Kingdom’s SR270 billion ($72 billion) health care plan under Vision 2030 will set Saudi Arabia on a fast growth trajectory in the sector. (File photo: Reuters)
Updated 29 March 2017
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World health care leaders to present global medical practices in Riyadh

RIYADH: International health care leaders will deliberate on building world class health care standards and practices for the Kingdom at the eHealth and Beyond Conference and Exhibition 2017, which will open in Riyadh on April 10.
Organized by the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) Middle East 2030, it will take place under the patronage of Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The Kingdom’s SR270 billion ($72 billion) health care plan under Vision 2030 will set Saudi Arabia on a fast growth trajectory in the sector, projected to be a SR92.6 billion market by 2020. Partial growth will be technology and informatics driven.
“The Kingdom will benefit from health information systems that help avoid waste and unnecessary health care services. Telemedicine will also help serve the pressing needs of patients around the Kingdom,” Dr. Yacoub Al-Mazrou, secretary-general of the Saudi Health Council, said.
“The Medical Services Department at the Ministry of Defense is undertaking the journey of health care transformation, and IT is a key enabler. Our strategic approach is the harmonization of processes, and adoption of the best medical and clinical practices to achieve the unification of all our patients’ medical records. Consequently, we will be able to exchange health data with other health care organizations in the Kingdom. We are pleased to have so many strong partners join us in this event to enable us toward this goal,” said Maj. Gen. Dr. Suliman Mohamed Al-Malik, CEO of the Medical Services Department at the Ministry of Defense.
Results are already visible in some industries. Capital investments in technology are being prepared for immediate modernization of health care services. It is estimated that major public health care organizations have SR4 billion for digital health care transformation beginning this year.
The Kingdom has set itself an ambitious goal of registering 70 percent of all existing Saudis in a unified health care system, dramatically transforming patient care and pre-treatment briefings.
Governance is now even more important as the private sector is slowly taking parts of medical delivery from the public sector. Health care organizations in the Kingdom are expected to work with the health system to enhance accountability with regards to quality issues and patient safety, and grow tenfold in the next three years.
Jeremy Bonfini, executive vice president for HIMSS International, noted: “On the 10th of April, we will double the number of certified digital hospitals in the Kingdom. The diversity of KSA hospitals achieving this recognition demonstrates that digital health care excellence is possible in any health care environment in the Kingdom. The successes and best practices here in Saudi Arabia in achieving Stage 6 and 7 on the HIMSS Electronic Medical Record Adoption Model showcase how the health care sector can achieve the 2030 Unified Medical Record Goal."

 


Prince Faisal bin Farhan speaks with Swiss foreign minister

Updated 02 May 2024
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Prince Faisal bin Farhan speaks with Swiss foreign minister

  • two ministers discussed developments of common interest and efforts made by both countries in those areas

RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan spoke on the phone with his Swiss counterpart Ignazio Cassis on Thursday.

During the call, the two ministers discussed developments of common interest and efforts made by both countries in those areas, Saudi Press Agency reported.

Cassis was in the Kingdom last month to attend the Special Meeting of the World Economic Forum held in Riyadh on April 28 and 29, during which he met with Prince Faisal.

Prince Faisal and Cassis also met earlier in the year in February during UN meetings in Geneva.


Saudi FM discusses preparations for Expo 2030 with BIE chief

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan receives the Secretary-General of the BIE Dimitri Kerkentzes in Riyadh.
Updated 02 May 2024
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Saudi FM discusses preparations for Expo 2030 with BIE chief

  • During the meeting, the two officials discussed the Kingdom’s preparations to host Expo 2030 in Riyadh
  • “We underlined the importance of careful planning to deliver a transformational World Expo in 2030,” Kerkentzes said

RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan received the Secretary-General of the Bureau International des Expositions Dimitri Kerkentzes in Riyadh on Thursday.

During the meeting, the two officials discussed the Kingdom’s preparations to host Expo 2030 in Riyadh and coordination to ensure that the exhibition would be “exceptional,” Saudi Press Agency reported.

Writing on social media platform X, Kerkentzes said: “We underlined the importance of careful planning to deliver a transformational World Expo in 2030.”

The BIE chief met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Wednesday.

World Expo 2030 will be hosted in Riyadh after the Kingdom defeated challenges from South Korea and Italy to host the prestigious event in November 2023.


Female students take top prizes at university’s Engineering Hackathon

Updated 02 May 2024
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Female students take top prizes at university’s Engineering Hackathon

  • 88 teams from the Eastern Province took part in the event at Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University
  • Team Al-Farahidi took first place with its Aram project, which aims to help prevent sleepwalking

RIYADH: Teams of female students took the top three prizes at Engineering Hackathon 24, which concluded on Wednesday at Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University in Dammam.

A total of 88 teams of male and female students from the Eastern Province took part in the event, which began on April 27, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Murad Al-Thubaiti, dean of the university’s College of Engineering, welcomed the high level of participation by students from universities across the province, and said 16 teams were chosen as finalists to present their projects, which covered a variety of specializations.

Team Al-Farahidi took first place with its Aram project, which aims to help prevent sleepwalking. The members were Nada Al-Dosari, Sarah Al-Nami, Manal Al-Tamimi and Nihal Al-Suhaibani.

Second spot went to Al-Khawarizmi, a team comprising Fatima Shuwaiheen, Fatima Al-Baik, Hawraa Al-Suwaiket, Walaa Al-Sulays and Amani Al-Saeedi, who designed a device that helps isolate cardiac signals from background noise.

Team Al-Battani was awarded third place for its system to help surgeons deal with stress. Its members were Hawraa Al-Wael, Dahhouk Al-Sabaa and Zainab Bou Moza.

Al-Thubaiti said activities such as the hackathon are an essential element for the development of students’ personalities and helping them prepare for the future.


Illegal workers in Riyadh region arrested after changing expiry dates on food products

Illegal workers at a farm in the Riyadh region were arrested after they were caught changing the expiry dates on products.
Updated 02 May 2024
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Illegal workers in Riyadh region arrested after changing expiry dates on food products

  • Seized products included 248,000 chicken stock cubes weighing 8 grams, 4,600 potato chip products, 2,900 soy sauces, and 1,500 pasta sauces
  • A laser device used to print new production dates was also seized

RIYADH: Illegal workers at a farm in Riyadh region’s Huraymila governorate were arrested after they were caught by the Saudi Ministry of Commerce changing the expiry dates on products, Saudi Press Agency reported on Thursday.

A 3.00 a.m. raid was carried out in cooperation with Riyadh region police and Huraymila governorate police after expired products that were seized in the possession of expatriates a few hours earlier were traced back to the farm.

Seized products included 248,000 chicken stock cubes weighing 8 grams, 4,600 potato chip products, 2,900 soy sauces, and 1,500 pasta sauces. The products were later destroyed. A laser device used to print new production dates was also seized.

The workers were referred to the competent authorities so that deterrent measures could be taken against them in accordance with the provisions of the anti-commercial fraud law.

The ministry said that violators of the anti-commercial fraud law could be imprisoned for up to three years, fined up to SR 1 million ($266,623), or receive both punishments. They could also be deported, the ministry added.


Saudi Arabia calls for unified Arab efforts to confront environmental challenges

Updated 02 May 2024
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Saudi Arabia calls for unified Arab efforts to confront environmental challenges

  • Minister Abdulrahman Al-Fadli spoke of biodiversity and the Arab region’s natural resources
  • Al-Fadli said that the region was capable of utilizing technology and innovation

RIYADH: Saudi Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman Al-Fadli has stressed the importance of regional action to combat environmental challenges facing the Middle East and North Africa region and the world, the Saudi Press Agency has reported.

Speaking during the 38th meeting of the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development in Riyadh, the minister spoke of biodiversity, the area’s natural resources and the range of agricultural environments, while stressing the challenges facing the region. He called for a united effort to reduce the impact on the region’s peoples.

Al-Fadli said that the Arab region was capable of utilizing technology and innovation, as well as seizing opportunities to invest in agriculture and improve practices to become more productive, efficient and sustainable in the use of water and natural resources.

He said enhancing trade, regional and international cooperation, and the benefits of international organizations were sources of optimism.

The minister said that the Arab region could take advantage of opportunities in technology, innovation and investment in agriculture by improving practices to make the utilization of water and natural resources more productive, efficient and sustainable.

Ibrahim Al Dukhairi, the director general of the organization, pledged his support for sustainability and agricultural development in the region, along with the development of the Arab landscape and food security.

He pointed out the significance of strategies to launch the necessary initiatives and partnerships to achieve the region’s goals.